UiO-66-SO₃H@nylon-6 Membrane for Rapid Adsorption and Removal of Rhodamine B (RhB) from Aqueous Solutions

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Environmental Science
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Dye contamination in water is a significant environmental and health hazard.
• Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) show promise for dye adsorption due to their high surface area and reactive sites.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an efficient and easily recoverable adsorbent for dye removal from aqueous solutions.
• To synthesize and characterize a novel UiO-66-SO3H@nylon-6 composite membrane.

Main Methods:

• In situ growth of UiO-66-SO3H crystals onto nylon-6 fibers via electrostatic spinning.
• Characterization of the resulting UiO-66-SO3H@nylon-6 membrane's structure and properties.
• Adsorption experiments using rhodamine B (RhB) as a model pollutant.

Main Results:

• A UiO-66-SO3H@nylon-6 membrane with a 3D mesh structure and high surface area was successfully fabricated.
• The membrane demonstrated effective adsorption capacity for rhodamine B, following pseudo-second-order kinetics and the Langmuir model.
• Adsorption mechanisms include pore-filling, hydrogen bonding, π-π interactions, and electrostatic attraction.

Conclusions:

• The UiO-66-SO3H@nylon-6 membrane is a highly effective, rapidly acting, and easily recoverable adsorbent for rhodamine B.
• This composite material offers a practical solution to challenges associated with MOF powder separation and potential secondary pollution.
• The study provides a viable strategy for applying MOFs in pollutant removal applications.